Cardiff's elegant Grecian-style Portland House building has found a multitude of uses and is again contributing to the local economy.
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"Will this be the most stunning live music venue in Wales? Historic former bank to stage gigs in ornate hall
Published 16 Mar 2015
By David Owens
One of Cardiff’s most ornate and historic buildings is about to undergo a makeover – as a music venue.
The owners of Portland House in Cardiff Bay are to follow The Point and The Coal Exchange by bringing live music back to the area.
The Grade II listed building boasts a lavish Grecian design including marble walls and pillars, a glass atrium, and intricate detailed wall and ceiling art.
Extensive underground vaults
It also houses four floors of office space and features extensive underground vaults, which up until recently staged club-style dance events, while the showpiece of the building – the former banking hall – is to be relaunched as a live music venue.
Opened in 1927 and originally the Cardiff docks branch of the National Provincial Bank it was owned by NatWest up until 2002.
Since then the building has changed hands until it was bought 18 months ago by Cardiff-based property agent Chris Spiteri of CS Properties, who hatched plans for the live music venue with his team.
The stunning banking hall has been undergoing a sizeable makeover in readiness for the first live show which will see reggae legend Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry grace the stage next month.
“It’s a multi-purpose building,” said events manager Jack Feeney. “Portland House has six floors – four of those are offices let out to local businesses. In the basement we have the vaults and above that on the ground floor is the banking hall.
A showpiece for Welsh wealth
“When it was the National Provincial Bank it was originally used as a showpiece for Welsh wealth in the early part of the 20th century.
“While the first one million pound cheque was written in The Coal Exchange it was actually cashed at the National Provincial Bank.
“A lot of the good stuff in the hall had been covered up in the intervening years, like original wall decorations and a carpet laid over a wonderful parquet floor, so we lifted it all up and stripped it all back.
“We’re almost there with the refurbishment. It’s going well. Once we’ve got it polished up to the standard it once was it will be something we’ll be really proud of.”
He stressed that the venue was keen to avoid the issues that had dogged The Point, which closed in January 2009 due to noise complaints.
“We’re working closely with the council to make sure we do everything properly to avoid any noise issues,” he said.
“The banking hall is pretty self-contained. We’re lucky that it’s a shaped building and the hall is in the middle sandwiched between two walls.”
The mid-size venue Cardiff needs
Jack said that the aim of the venue, at 113-116 Bute Street, is to provide the mid-sized 700-800 capacity venue Cardiff needs to bridge the gap between the city’s smaller and larger venues.
“In the past year we’ve been staging corporate events and weddings but our main aim is to create this venue in the same vein as The Point and The Coal Exchange.
“We’re very aware those venues have come before us and done so much for live music in the area. We believe we’re taking on that tradition.
“The capacity is between 700 and 800 for a standing gig. You’ve got big venues in the Motorpoint Arena, St David’s Hall, and the Wales Millennium Centre but we think we fill that middle-ground venue that Cardiff desperately needs.”
In recent years Portland House has become a popular location for film crews with both Doctor Who and Torchwood filming there, while Jack revealed Casualty had recently filmed an offbeat episode of the hospital drama in the building.
“Casualty filmed a one-off special to be screened in August shot in film noir style,” he said. “And on the weekend we had [pop-up cinema organisers] Motley Movies screening Grease, with the banking hall transformed into Rydell High and boys and girls flying around on roller skates delivering diner-style food.”
However it will be live music which will be the focus of Jack and his co-promoter Leon West – a former member of larger-than-life Newport rap crew Goldie Lookin’ Chain – with the pair aiming to bring music of all styles and genres to the venue.
A hidden gem
Jack said: “It was good timing with Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry because he was on tour and he was a good artist to go with because he’s a musical legend – he’s such an icon within reggae and dub. It seemed a really good way to kick things off.
“We’re following that up with [Arcade Fire collaborator] Owen Pallett, which demonstrates our aim to craft good shows without adhering to any strict genre of music.
“Portland House is a hidden gem. If you didn’t know what was hidden behind the door you wouldn’t know what was there.
“Now we want to open up the building to as many people as possible.”
* Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry plays Portland House on Sunday, April 5, and tickets are priced £20. Tickets for Owen Pallett’s show on Friday, June 5, are £14. To book or find out more visit www.portlandhousecardiff.com/live"